Boltless cast-steel car-truck.



No. 649,:83. Patented may s, |900. w. E. svuons.

ABOLTLESS GAST STEEL GAR TRUKIK.

(Application led Dec. 12,` 1699.)

2 Shqets--Shaet l.

(No Model.)

I Wifgzssag l (lys) Patented May 8, |900.

2 shuts-snm 2.

W. E. SYMONS.

BULTLESS GAST lSTEEL CAR TRUCK.

(Applicationled Dec. 12, 1899.)

No. 64mm.'

A (No Model.)

. f 0 ooo ooo f o O o o O o lrlbrwlrnal .3 wi'fgesszs "Iran STA-rss'PATNT ivILsoN n. srMoNs, or SAVANNAH, GEORGIA;

BoLTLEss CAST-STEEL CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of heitere; Patent No. 649,183, cated May's, 1900.

Application filed December 12, 1899. Serial No. 740,074. (No modell) T0all zZ/'w'rt t may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILSON E. SYMoNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State4 of Georgia,have invented a new and useful Boltless Cast-Steel Car-Truck, of whichthe following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to boltless caststeel car-trucks, which combine toa maximum degree strength, durability, and simplicity of constructionwith a material reduction in weight as compared with ordinary trucks.

In the service of car-trucks it is found that, owing to the derailmentof cars and other causes, it is necessary to replace one or the other,or both, of the side frames or the transom. For the sake of economy inmaking repairs and in the manufacture of the trucks it is desirable tomake the same of three prin# cipal parts-to wit, the two side frames andthe transom. This requires the parts to be united together in a verysubstantial manner; and one object of this invention is to provide animproved connection which produces an eX- ceedinglystrong joint withoutthe use of bolts.

A further object in view is to construct the transom in a novel way toprovide for the entrance and use of a liftingappliance by which thetransom may be raised, so that the springs can easily be renewed andreplaced at either side of the truck.

To the accomplishment of these ends the invention consists in the novelcombination of devices and the construction and arrangement of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented a car-truck whichembodies the several features of my invention in their preferred form,and to these drawings I shall now refer in order to explain more clearlythe nature of the invention and the manner in which'the same is or maybe carried .into eect.

Figure lis a side elevation of my improved ca'rtruck. Fig. 2 is a planView with one of the side framesand a part of the transom showninphorizontal section to more clearly illustrate the joint between saidparts and the positions of the keys that prevent displacement of the-endportions of the transom from the side frames. Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation taken in the plane of the dotted line 3 3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa detail View, in side elevation, of one of the side frames of thetruck. side frame, taken in the plane of the dotted line 5 5 on Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation ofthe transom, the latter being brokenaway at one end portion thereof to illustrate its construction. Fig. 7is a sectional plan View of the transom shown by Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is avertical cross-section of the transom, taken in the plane of the dottedline 8 8 on Fig. 7. The same numerals of reference are used to indicatelike and corresponding parts in each of the several figures of thedrawings.

The car-truck of my present invention consists, essentially, of threemain parts, each of Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the which is castin a single piece of metal-that is to say, the side frames 10 and 11 andthe transom 12. In the manufacture of car-trucks it is necessary to makethe parts as strong as possible Without involving too much weight intheir construction in order that the trucks may successfully withstandthe strain of practical service without involving a substantial increasein the rolling-stock ofthe railroad.

In the construction of the members of my car-'truck I have sought tosecure great .strength with a reduction in the weight by aredistribution of the metal and an arrangement of the parts to the bestadvantage. Each side frame 10 or 11' is practically interchangeable withother frames in car-trucks manufactured in accordance with my invention,thus facilitating repairs to the truck in the event of the derailment ofthe car and injury to the trucks thereof.

I will first proceed to describe the construction of the side frame,which is shown more clearly by Figs. 1, 4, and 5 of the drawings. Thisframe consists of an upper arch-bar 13, a binder 14, the central struts15 16,'and the end struts 17 18. The binder 14 is disposed, essentially,in ahorizontalposition, andthe several struts lieat right angles to thebinder, so as to make the binder reinforce or strengthen al1 the partsof the side frame. The central struts l5 16 are cast in a single piecewith the arch-bar and the binder, and these parts are fashioned andarranged in such relation to each other as to form a large centralopening 20, preferably of square form, at the middle of the side frame.This central opening is bounded on the outside of the side frame by amarginal flange 19, which is integral with the frame and extendsinwardly so as to have its edge within the boundary lines of the opening20. The end struts 17 13 are integral with the arch-bar and the binder,near the ends of the same, and these several parts are arranged andfashioned to provide the open jaws 21 at the ends of the side frame,said jaws serving to accommodate the axleboXes of the wheel-axles. Eachopen-ended jaw is bounded on three of its sides with a strengtheningflange or rib 23, and this flange is itself strengthened at the upperinner corner thereof by increasing the thickness of the metal, so as toproduce the reinforcement 24. The weight and leverage imposed by theside frame upon the axle-box seated in the jaw requires the latter to beof very strong construction in order to minimize the liability ofbreakage of the parts, and the provision of the rib orflan ge, with thereinforcement at the point indicated, adds such stiffness to the jaw asto prevent it from breaking at the upper inner corner thereof. Thevertical walls at the sides of the opening 20 are provided withkey-seats 25 26, each of which extends continuously through the toparch-bar 13, one vertical wall of the opening 20, and the binder 14. Thekey-seat opens into or communicates with the opening 20, and thiskey-seat is rounded or curved on the inner edge thereof, as indicated bythe reference-numeral 2G in Fig. 5.

The transom 12 is a single piece of caststeel of skeleton constructioninvolving the distribution of the metal to secure great strength with adecrease in the weight of this part of the car-truck. This transomconsists of the side members 2727 and the spring-seats 2S. The sidemembers are disposed parallel to each other and provided with suitablereinforcement flanges or ribs substantially as shown by the drawings.The spring-seats are made integral with the side members of the transom,near the ends of the latter, and the complete transom is thus made topresent a channeled appearance for the accom modation of thetruck-bolster 37.

Oneimportant feature of my invention consists in the provision of theimperforate jointflanges 29 at the respective ends of the transom, eachjoin t-flange being integral with said transom and presentingacontinuous surface which conforms in contour to the opening 20 in theside frame. This joint-flange is provided in its vertical faces withkey-grooves 31 32, and between the flange and the side members of thetransom is a marginal flange 30. The walls of the opening 20 in eachpair of side frames and the surfaces of the jointflanges 29 at the endsof the transom are adapted to each other in a manner to secure snugfitting of the parts when they are ass embled` into the complete truck.It may be desirable under some circumstances to finish the innersurfaces of the opening 2O of the side frame and to likewise finish theexterior surface of the joint-flange in the transom for the purpose ofsecuring accuracy in the union of the parts; but I do not consider thatit is essential to finish these surfaces of the parts under allcircumstances.

The operation of assembling the parts of the car-truck requires thejoint-flanges 29 of the transom to be fitted snugly or accurately in theopenings 2O of the side frames, and the entrance of the flanges in theopenings is limited or arrested by the flange 30 abutting against theside frame and the flange 19 abutting against the end portion of thetransom, the last-named flange serving to conceal practically the endportion of the transom and imparting a neat finish to the side of thetruck. This fitting of the joint-flange of the transom in the opening ofthe side frame brings the key-grooves 31 32 into coincidence with thekey-seats 25 26 in the side frame, and the parts are thus assembled forthe reception of the fastening-keys 33, each of which is fitted in thecoincident key-seat and the key-groove in the side frame and thetransom, respectively. These keys are essentially of taperedconstruction, and they are inserted with the small end downward, so asto engage with the side frame and the transom, the large end of the keybeing uppermost. It is my practice to provide a nut 34: on the lowerthreaded end of the key, but the joint between the transom and the sideframe does not depend for its security upon the application of this nut,because the key is in a vertical position,which enables it to workitself downward into the seat and groove of the frame and transom underthe jarring or vibration of the truck, thereby effectually retaining thekeys in place and firmly connecting the parts with the truck, eventhough the nuts should work loose and fall off. The insertion of thekeys operate to draw the transom and side frames firmly together, so asto attain an exceedinglystrong joint at the places where the differentparts of the truck engage mutually with each other, and the keys thusunite the members so strongly together as to impart strength anddurability to the sectional truck equal to the strength of a singlecast-steel truck. In repairing the truck it is evident thatthe keys maybe displaced or driven out of engagement with the transom and frame forthe purpose of separating an injured member or members, thus enablingthe broken parts of a truck to be replaced by another part.

My car-truck has its` transom constructed for the reception of bars orother implements by which the truck-bolster may be raised with facilityfor the purpose of taking out an injured or broken spring th rough theopening 2O at the side of the truck. In order to re- IOC IIO

IZO

duce the weight of this single-piece cast-steel f,

end portions of the transom and within the joint-liangcs 29 thereof eachside member is provided with one or Inore vertically-disposed slots oropenings 36, the major axis of which is at right angles to the length ofthe transom. The truck-bolster 37 may be of any suitable construction tot within the transom l2, and said truck-bolster is provided withspringseats 37,that aline vertically with the springs 28 of the transom.Any suitable car-springs are ttedto the seats of the two, transom l2vand truck-bolster 37, so as to lie adjacent to the openings 2O in theside frame.

The end portions of the truck-bolster are opposite to and below theupper edges of the vertical slots in the ends of the transom, wherebyone or more lifting-bars may be thrust through the slots for the purposeof raising'the truckbolster, so as to permit an injured or broken springto be taken out through the opening 20 in the side frame.

It will be observed by reference to the drawings that thevertically-disposed slotted openings 36 in the transom, near the endsthereof, are disposed substantially in alinement with the springs 3S.The said openings 36 permit the insertion of crowbars or other levers ortools to enable the springs to be removed, replaced, or readjusted inmaking repairs. y

The transom l2 of the truck is provided with any suitable fittings, asat 39, for the attachment of means for suspending the brakebeams orother appliances.

In car-trucks of existing types the thrusts or movements of the bolsterscaused by the endwise movements of the car-body on the trucks,especially when the brakes are applied, are borne by the centralportions of the sides or bars of the transom, and this stress exerted bythe bolster on the sides or crossbars of the transom is so great thatthe latter frequently become bowed outward in opposite directions at thecenters of the transoms, in some instances to an extent of severalinches, thus greatly injuring the transoms besides tending to destroyparallelism of the side members.

An important feature of my invention is to provide means fortransferring the thrusts of the bolsters from the centers of thetransoms to obviate the objection above stated, and to this end Iprovide the bolster on its sides, near its ends, with lateral ribs oroffsets a, which are vertical on the sides of the bolster and projectbeyond the sides thereof, as shown particularly in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, and I further provide the side walls of the transom, on theinner side and near the ends thereof, with vertical recesses or groovesb, which constitute seats and guides for the said ribs or offsets aofthe bolster. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that the widthof the bolster is something less than the distance between thecontiguous sides of the transom, and hence that the bolster is at alltimes out of contact with the sides of the transom excepting near theends thereof where the offsets d are disposed in the seats Z1, and hencethe side thrusts of the bolster are applied to the sides of the transomnear the ends thereof, where the transom is braced and strengthened bybeing jointed to the side members of the truck-frame and where thethrusts of the bolster are sustained by the transom and the walls of thelatter are prevented from being bowed or laterally displaced. It willfurthermore appear from thev drawings and the above description that theoffsets and seats or grooves whereby the bolster is connected to thetransom serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the bolster in thetransom, an arrangement and construction which is highly advantageous,in that it counteracts any tendency to unseat the springs whichsupportthe ends of the bolster and arrest endwise movements of thebolster in the transom, hence preventing the side members of thecar-truck framel from being battered and injured by the bolster.

The axle-boxes 40, ot' any suitable type, are fitted in the open-endedjaws of the side frames for the accommodation of the usual wheel-axles,and these boxes are held in place by the keys itl in the mannerdisclosed by my prior application, filed August 19, 1899, Serial No.727,845. l p

The car-truck of the present invention is of the general type disclosedin the prior application, to which reference has been made, from thefact that the side frames are provided at their end portions thereofwith openended jaws or seats which permit the axleboxes or either ofthem to be removed from the frames without jacking up the truck, as isnecessary in trucks of the pedestal type. My truck is furthermoreadvantageous over trucks of the pedestal type from the fact that theseats for the axle-boxes are united by the horizontal binder on eachside frame, and said side frames of the truck structure are joinedtogether by the truck-bolster, which serves as a stay to the arch-barand to the binder of the side frames, thereby materially strengtheningthe truck at the points where it is exposed to the greatest leverage andstrain.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the formand proportion of some of the parts, while their essential features areretained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. I-Ience I do notdesire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown,reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- Y 1. In acar-truck frame, the combination with side members having centraltransverse openings, extending through said side members and fianged attheir outer sides, said flanges overhanging said openings, of a tran somhaving open ends adapted to enter said transverse openings and to bearagainst the IIO outer flanges thereof, the contacting sides of saidendsof said transom and of said transverse openings having verticalcoinciding key-bolt seats, said key-bolt seats extending through theupper and lower sides of said side members, above and below saidtransverse openings and by bolts in said seats, substantially asdescribed.

2. Ina car-truck `frame, the `combination with side members havingcentral transverse I openings extending through said side mem- I bers,of a transom having open ends adapted to en ter said transverseopenings, the contacta ing sides of said ends of said transom and ofsaid transverse openings having vertical co- 1 inciding key-bolt seats,said key-bolt seats extending through the upper and' lower sides of saidside members, above and below said transverse openings and key-bolts insaid seats, substantially as described.

3. `In a ear-truck frame, the combination of side members havingtransverse openings,`

vertical grooves in the vertical sides of said transverse openings, andopenings at the upper and lower ends of said grooves,and extendingthrough the upper and lower sides of the "side members; a transom havingits ends aan@ prising vertical side Walls with projecting joint-flangesat the ends thereof connecting the upper and lower sides of said sidewalls, said joint-flanges having the ilanges 30 at their inner sides andprovided in their vertical side with vertical key-seat grooves, the sidewalls of said transom being further connected at their ends on theirlowersides by the spring-seats and said side Walls being furtherprovided with openings 36 coincident with said springseats and verticalgrooves h near their ends in connection with the castfsteelmembershaving central transverse openings in which thejoint-flanges at the ends of the transom are fitted, the vertical sidesof said transverse openings of said side members having key-seat groovescoincident with those of the transom, key-bolts in said key-seatgrooves,thereby locking said side members on the ends of the transom,the cast-steel bolster between and out of contactwith the side Walls ofthe transom, said bolster having the integral vertical ribs or oisets anear its ends engaging said grooves b in the sides of the'transom, andthesprings in the spring-seats and bearing under the ends of thebolster, substantially as described.

In testimony 'that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

wILsoN E. sYMoNs. Witnesses:

H. T. BERNHARD, M. PERRY I-IAHN.

